1.

Certain nouns possess a singular form but still represent plurality and
thus, take a plural verb when used in a sentence.
E.g. Cattle, peasantry, people, clergy, police

The Police has come (Incorrect)

The Police have come (Correct)

2. Certain nouns always take the plural verb because their form is always
plural.
E.g. Scissors, trousers, spectacles, thanks, premises.

The scissors is kept on the table. (Incorrect)

The scissors are kept on the table. (Correct)

3. When a number is followed by a noun denoting measure, length, money,

number or weight, the form of the nouns does not change so long as they
are followed by another noun or pronoun.
e.g. Million, Pair, meter, year, dozen, foot, head.

This is a nine meters cloth. (Incorrect)

This is a nine-meter cloth. (Correct)

4. When a number is followed by a noun denoting measure, length, money,

number or weight, but these are not followed by another noun or
pronoun, then they take the plural form.
E.g. Million, pair, meter, year, dozen, foot, head.

This sari is nine yard long. (Incorrect)

This sari is nine yards long. (Correct)

5. Certain nouns, especially of the collective category, are used as singular

when they specify a unit.

E.g. Public, team, committee, government, audience, orchestra, company, jury

The public were unanimous in their opinion. (Incorrect)

The public was unanimous in its opinion. (Correct)

6. Certain nouns, especially of the collective category, are used in plural

when they specify a difference of opinion or class.
E.g. Public, team, committee, government, audience, orchestra, company, jury.

The jury was divided in its opinion. (Incorrect)

The jury were divided in their opinion. (Correct)

7. If the pronoun one is used, it must be maintained throughout the

sentence.

One must respect his elders. (Incorrect)

One must respect ones elders. (Correct)

8. The word whose is used for living people and which is used for nonliving things or ideas.

Which box is kept on the table? (Incorrect)

Whose box is kept on the table? (Correct)

9. Less is used to denote quantity while fewer is used to denote number.

No less than twenty people were (Incorrect)

No fewer than twenty people were (Correct)

10. One of is always followed by noun in the plural form.

She is one of the least important person in the office. (Incorrect)

She is one of the least important people in the office. (Correct)

11. Only than should be used after no other

I like no other movie but Titanic. (Incorrect)

I like no other movie than Titanic. (Correct)

12. After the word Know, how, what or when should be used before using
the infinitive.

I know to speak English. (Incorrect)

I know how to speak English. (Correct)

13. If the verb indicates a purpose, an infinitive must be used and if the verb
indicates a cause, a gerund must be used.

He went to the mall for watching a movie. (Incorrect)

He went to the mall to watch a movie. (Correct)

He was suspended to show indiscipline. (Incorrect)

He was suspended for showing indiscipline.(Correct)

14.As is not used with verbs like appointed, elected , considered, called
but it is used with the word regard.

He was elected as Secretary of the organization. (Incorrect)

He was elected Secretary of the organization. (Correct)

I regard Sahil my best friend. (Incorrect)

I regard Sahil as my best friend. (Correct)

15. Adverbs should not be confused for adjectives. An adjective describes the
characteristic of the subject while an adverb describes the action of the verb.

The horse looked beautifully. (Incorrect)

The horse looked beautiful. (Correct)

16. Question tags are always the opposite of the sentence which means that if
the sentence is positive, the question-tag is negative and vice versa.

You were dancing, were you? (Incorrect)

You were dancing, werent you? (Correct)

17. An infinitive verb should never be split.

I request you to kindly tell me. (Incorrect)

I request you kindly to tell me. (Correct)

18. A pronoun after like, unlike and let takes an objective case.

You will never find a woman like she. (Incorrect)

You will never find a woman like her. (Correct)

Let I do it. (Incorrect)

Let me do it. (Correct)

19. The relative pronoun that is used instead of who or which after
adjectives in the superlative degree.

This is the best which she could do. (Incorrect)

This is the best that she could do. (Correct)

20.

To show equality as is used both before and after the adjective.

I can run as fast, if not faster than you. (Incorrect)

I can run as fast as, if not faster than you. (Correct)

21. Even though More than one indicates a plural sense, it agrees with a
singular noun and takes a singular verb.

More than one students completed their project. (Incorrect)

More than one student completed his project. (Correct)

22.

Scarcely and hardly are followed by when and not by than.

Hardly had the teacher left the room than the pupils started enjoying. (Incorrect)

Hardly had the teacher left the room when the pupils started enjoying. (Correct)

23.

Though is followed by yet and not by but.

Though he is poor but he is honest. (Incorrect)

Though he is poor, yet he is honest. (Correct)

24.

Lest must be followed by should or by nothing at all and Such

must be followed by as.

Work hard lest you will fail. (Incorrect)

Work hard lest you should fail. (Correct)

Work hard lest you fail. (Correct)

He is such a writer that everybody should read his books. (Incorrect)

He is such a writer as everybody should read his books. (Correct)

25.Unless expresses a condition and is always used in the negative sense.

Thus not is never used with unless.

Unless you do not work hard, you will not excel in the examination. (Incorrect)

Unless you work hard, you will not excel in the examination. (Correct)

26.

When denotes a general sense and while implies a time duration

of doing something.

When learning how to sing, technique is of utmost importance. (Incorrect)

While learning how to sing, technique is of utmost importance. (Correct

27. Some nouns always use a singular verb.

Eg: Advice, scenery, stationery, mathematics, news

Mathematics are a difficult subject. (Incorrect)

Mathematics is a difficult subject. (Correct)

28.

Who denotes the subject and whom denotes the object.

Whom do you think won the competition? (Incorrect)

Who do you think won the competition? (Correct)

Who did you talk to? ( Incorrect)

Whom did you talk to? ( Correct)

29.

The verb and pronoun in case of two nouns joined by eitheror

or neither nor or by or take the form of the latter noun.

Either my father or my sister will use their credit card. (Incorrect)

Either my father or my sister will use her credit card. (Correct)

30.

The verb and pronoun are plural when there is one singular noun

and one plural noun and is joined by the conjunction and.

The teacher and her students donated her money. (Incorrect)

The teacher and her students donated their money. (Correct)

31. When there are two nouns joined by a preposition like with or along
with, the verb and pronoun take the form of the main (first) noun.

Mansi, along with her students, were on their way to the movies. (Incorrect)

Mansi, along with her students, was on her way to the movies. (Correct)

32. If the plural subject indicates a definite amount or quantity taken as a

whole, it takes the verb in the singular form.

Eighty kilometres are a good distance.( Incorrect)

Eighty kilometres is a good distance. (Correct)

33. When two or more adjectives show the qualities of the same person or
thing, all the adjectives must be in the same degree.

Bhanu is more intelligent and wise than Manu. (Incorrect)

Bhanu is more intelligent and wiser than Manu. (Correct)

34. When two singular nouns are joined by and are preceded by each or
every the pronoun used is singular.

Each man and each boy must be rewarded for their good deeds. ( Incorrect)

Each man and each boy must be rewarded for his good deeds. (Correct)

35. No sooner is always followed by than.

No sooner had the bell rung when the students started leaving the classroom.
(Incorrect)

No sooner had the bell rung than the students started leaving the room.( Correct)

36. No sooner is always followed by does/do or has/have in the present

tense and by did or had in the past tense.

No sooner are the boys marching than the whistle blows. (Incorrect)

No sooner do the boys march than the whistle blows.( Correct)

37. A great many is always followed by a plural noun and a plural verb.

A great many invention has been declared successful. (Incorrect)

A great many inventions have been declared successful. (Correct)

38. Some is used in affirmative sentences to express quantity or degree.

Any is to be used in negative or interrogative sentences.

I shall buy some books. (Correct)

I shall not buy any books. (Correct)

Have you bought any books? (Correct)

But some might be used in interrogative sentences which are requests.

Will you please give me some water? (Correct)

39. Since indicates a point of time and for stands for the length of time.

He has been reading the book since three hours. (Incorrect)

He has been reading the book for three hours. (Correct)

It has been raining heavily for Monday. (Incorrect)

It has been raining heavily since Monday. (Correct)

40. When we use everybody everyone, anybody, and each the pronoun
of the masculine or the feminine gender is used with respect to the content.

I shall be willing to help each of the girls in her practice. (Incorrect)

But when the gender is not mentioned, we use the pronoun of the masculine gender.

Anyone can do this job if he tries. (Correct)

Each of the boys in the class has finished their tasks. (Incorrect)

Each of the boys in the class has finished his task. (Correct)

41. A singular pronoun is used for a collective nouns, and should be in the
neuter gender if the collective noun is viewed as a whole.

The pride gave away their location by roaring loudly. (Incorrect)

The pride gave away its location by roaring loudly. (Correct)

42. When pronouns of different persons are to be used together in a

sentence, the sequence of persons should be as follows: second person +
third + first person in a normal sentence.

Raju, I and you have finished the work. (Incorrect)

You, Raju and I have finished our studies. (Correct)

43. Older refers to persons as well as things and is usually followed by

than.

Raju is elder than all other boys of this class. (Incorrect)

Raju is older than all other boys of this class. (Correct)

Elder is used for members of the family.

Suyash is my older brother. (Incorrect)

Suyash is my elder brother. (Correct)

44. Than is used in the comparative degree usually , but with words like
superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior, anterior, posterior and prefer to is
used.

Gandhi is preferred than Nehru. (Incorrect)

Gandhi is preferred to Nehru. (Correct)

45. Many a is always followed by the singular verb.

Many a man were influenced by the speech. (Incorrect)

Many a man was influenced by the speech. (Correct)

46. The singular verb is used when the subject is the number of.

The number of buildings are very low. (Incorrect)

The number of buildings is very low. (Correct)

47. Since, because, as, for are often used alternatively, however there is
a difference in their degree. Stronger cases use since and because and as
and for are used in weak cases.

I respect him as he is the best teacher. (Incorrect)

I respect him because he is the best teacher. (Correct)

48. A pronoun is sometimes incorrectly used where it is not required at all.

Eliminate the redundant ones.

He, being an M.A., he is over qualified for the position. (Incorrect)

He, being an M.A., is over qualified for the position. (Correct)

49. The relative pronoun that is used instead of who or which after
adjectives in the superlative degree.

This is the best which the doctors could do. (Incorrect)

This is the best that the doctors could do. (Correct)

50. When as if is used in the sense of pretension, were is used in all cases,
even with third person singular.

She behaves as if she was a queen. (Incorrect)

She behaves as if she were a queen. (Correct)

51. A pronoun takes an objective case after let.

Let I show it. (Incorrect)

Let me show it. (Correct)

52. Pronouns joined by and are in the same case.

He and me are friends. (Incorrect)

He and I are friends. (Correct)

# NOTE- Reading will be complete waste if you dont practice daily. Try to remember these rules (read
once in 15 days) & apply it through daily practice. (Around 20 questions daily to get a full marks)